Western Red Cedar

Scientific Name: Thuja plicata

Other common names: red cedar, cypress, oregon cedar,giant cedar. Known for its extremely fine and even grain, its flexibility and strength in proportion to its weight, Western Red Cedar is a species of wood whose lumber can be used in a variety of ways. Western Red Cedar is renowned for its high impermeability to liquids and its natural phenol preservatives, which make it ideally suited for exterior use and interior use where humidity is high.
The cellular composition of cedar, millions of tiny air-filled cells per cubic inch, provides a high degree of thermal insulation, approx. 1 R/inch. Old Growth Western Red Cedars' slow growth, dense fiber and natural oily extractives are responsible for its decay resistance and its rich coloring, which ranges from a light milky straw color in the sapwood to a vanilla-chocolate in the heartwood. Second growthy is different. It is a stable wood that seasons easily and quickly, with a very low shrinkage factor. It is free of pitch and has excellent finishing qualities. Go to our technical info section Western Red Cedar is Bear Creek Lumber's main inventory item. Offered in siding patterns, paneling patterns, and boards for board-on-board siding, trim, and fascia. Bear Creek also carries cedar decking, timber and beams, and shakes and shingles. Additional grades and sizes are available upon request. Photo: above left: Weathered WRC Beam and Channel Siding.

Additional Western Red Cedar Products:

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Available Board Grades

Note: all pictures are meant for a general grade description. If you want to see a more defined grade image, please let us know. We can email you pictures and grade rules.

cv - Clear Vertical Grain - Pieces may exhibit a few minor characteristics which do not detract from their high appearance and quality. Limiting provisions include: very light torn grain, very light skips on the non-graded face and very light warp.

a - A & Better Clear - Ideally suited to applications where finishing requirements are less exacting. Limiting provisions include: small seasoning checks , occasional very light skips on edges and backs. Allows for two small, sound tight knots or their equivalent

d - D & Better Clear - This grade accounts for pieces of lumber having one or more characteristics which are of such size and number that the piece is not of C & BTR grade. Medium pitch streaks, limited pin holes, hit and miss skips, two knots approximately 1" or their equivalent.

tk - Select Tight Knot - The basis for this grade are the knots, burls and naturally occurring markings which are of fairly uniform distribution and add to the decorative character of the piece. Sound, tight knots: star checked and/or slightly chipped knots permitted.

Note the different colors above. Red cedar, like any other wood, has a range of colors. On special orders we are able to match colors at an extra cost.

The characteristics that make Western Red Cedar a fine exterior siding, decking, and paneling, also make shake and shingle products the most desirable for roofing and sidewall application. Briefly, we will look at the difference between shakes and shingles and their applications. View Shingles In Application.

Shingles are sawn. Shakes are split. Shingles have a relatively smooth surface while shakes have at least one highly textured natural grain split surface. Shingles and shakes make of Western Red Cedar are generally used for roof and sidewall applications in the natural or unfinished state.

Featured Projects

Potter Mountaintop Home A combination of Douglas Fir/Larch and Western red cedar give this home a timeless western charm. Potter commissioned the recycled beams from an old barn in Eastern WA. Read more...

The Country Clinic The clinic was built by Jerry Laverty, and Laverty Construction, a longtime customer. The wood siding shown in this picture is select tight knot channel, that was also selected for color trim. Read more...